Growing Up
by amberissmiling
Summary: Puck finds Rachel walking on the side of the road in the pouring rain and convinces her to get in his truck and tell him what's wrong. To their surprise, what's wrong ends up being what's right.


It was raining so hard he could barely see the road. Pulling a cigarette out of the pack and lighting it, he fiddled with the dial of the radio. Finding some old Queen, he smiled and sat back. His life had been shit lately, but good music had a way of making him feel better.

He wasn't really sure where he was going, he just knew he'd needed to get out of the house. His mom and little sister had been screaming at each other all day and he was sick of it; he couldn't wait to get the hell out of Lima. He knew what everyone thought; he was a Lima Loser and he was never going to leave. That's where they were wrong. He was gone two days after graduation, had already signed the papers. He'd look good in blue.

Singing along with the radio, he almost didn't see her walking on the side of the road. "What the fuck?" he said to himself, pulling over in front of her. Jumping out of the truck, he ran towards her. "Rachel? What the hell are you doing?" he asked, flicking his cigarette on the ground. They were in the middle of nowhere; there was no reason for _anyone _to be here, much less Rachel.

"Walking!" she yelled at him over the sound of the rain.

Even though he could barely see her, he could tell that she'd been crying. "Get in the truck, I'll take you home."

"I'm not going home," she told him.

"Then we can just ride around," he said, looking up at the sky. "Just get in the truck."

Rachel sighed, then nodded. Puck ran to the passenger side door, opening it for her, then ran back around to the driver side and got in. Shaking his head to throw some of the water off, he looked at her. She was completely soaked. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked her again. "Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay," she told him. She gestured to herself and said, "Doesn't this look like the picture of sanity?" She wrinkled her nose. "I wish you'd quit smoking, Noah."

"You look like you're upset," he said, ignoring her last statement. "And I can tell you've been crying."

"Yeah, well, even Rachel Berry gets upset," she told him, staring out the windshield. "I'm not superwoman."

"I know that," he told her quietly, still watching her. "What's wrong?"

Rachel shrugged and sighed. "What's always wrong, Noah?"

Puck made a face. "Finn?"

Rachel laughed humorlessly. "Finn," she confirmed.

Puck shook his head, looking out the windshield. Sometimes he hated his best friend. This was one of those times. "What did he do now?"

"He's decided that he's not coming to New York with me," she said sadly. "With Burt's health declining, he's decided to stay here and take over the shop. He's 18 and his entire life is already mapped out…and it's _this_," she said. She looked at Puck. "Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the sentiment. But there's no way I can stay in Lima." She put her head back against the seat. "Not even for Finn."

"He's an idiot," Puck said. "He knows that if he stays here he's going to lose you."

Rachel made a strangled sound. "He's already lost me," she told him, rolling her head towards him, tears leaking out of the corners of her eyes.

"I'm sorry Rach," he told her sincerely. He hated to see her cry. It tore him up inside. "I'll talk to him."

Rachel shook her head. "No point, Noah," she told him softly. "Quinn was right. She and Finn are going to stay in Lima, get married and have 2.5 kids. That's their life."

Puck took her hand, squeezing it. "It's not ours," he told her.

Rachel smiled. "Where are you planning on going?" she asked him.

Puck hadn't even told his mother what he'd done, but he found himself wanting to tell Rachel; wanting her to be proud of him. "I joined the Air Force," he told her. "Basic Training starts two days after graduation." Rachel lifted her head and stared at him, her mouth an "O" of surprise. "Just listen, okay?" he told her. "They'll pay for my college. I'll get to travel the world. It's a steady job. Plus, you know, I might get to jump out of planes and shit."

Rachel nodded slowly. "You've put a lot of thought into this," she said.

Puck nodded. "It's my only life, right? I don't have the grades to get into a good college right now because I've spent all of my time getting laid and screwing up. This is the best option for me." He looked at her. "It's time for me to stop acting like a little boy."

Rachel smiled at him. "While I'm not thrilled with the idea of you joining the service during wartime, I'm so proud of you," she told him.

Puck found himself grinning like an idiot. "Thanks," he said.

"I guess we're all growing up," she said, looking out the windshield again.

Puck shrugged. "Where do you want to go?" he asked her.

"Why don't you just turn off the truck and we'll sit and talk for a bit, okay? I don't really want to go anywhere."

Puck shrugged and turned the truck off. "Where were you walking to?'

"Nowhere in particular."

"Do your dads know where you are?"

"Nope," she told him. "They're not home. They won't worry, though. They know I can take care of myself."

Puck studied her. "Doesn't that get old?"

"What?" she asked, looking confused.

"Never having anyone to rely on?"

Rachel cocked an eyebrow at him. "I don't know, does it?"

Puck laughed. "Touché," he said.

Rachel smiled. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't need anyone's help."

"I know you're capable, Rach," he told her, running his thumb over her knuckles. "But that doesn't mean you like it."

Rachel laced their fingers together and looked at him. "You know what?" she asked, her chin quivering. "I really don't."

"Don't start crying again," he told her, using her hand to pull her closer and wrapping his arm around her. "Come here."

Rachel put her face in his shoulder and cried, putting her arm around him. Puck held her tightly to him, whispering soothing words into her hair. He didn't think she could even hear them, but he figured that it was the thought that counts. "I'm scared," she told him after she'd calmed down. She lifted her head to look at him, hastily wiping tears from her face. "I'm going to be all alone." Kurt had decided to go to LA with Blaine, which hadn't been a problem when Rachel had thought Finn would be with her in New York.

"You are the strongest person I know," Puck told her, looking into her eyes. "And I'm not just saying that to make you feel better." Rachel smiled, looking down. Puck caught her chin and tilted her head up so that she again met his eyes. "You can make it anywhere."

"Thanks Noah," she told him. "It means a lot to me that you think so."

"And Finn's an idiot."

Rachel laughed. "You already said that."

"Well, it's true." He smiled, hoping that she couldn't tell that his heart was beating out of his chest. Having Rachel Berry this close to him was torture of the sweetest kind. Having to listen to Finn describe making love to her had almost killed him. He loved Finn, but he'd never wanted to hurt someone as much as him when he'd found out that his friend was sleeping with Rachel.

Without warning, Rachel leaned closer and touched her lips to his, sending a jolt of heat straight through his body. "Rachel," he said, pulling back, "you're upset."

"No," she whispered, shaking her head.

Puck let out a sigh, running his hand over his head. "Yeah, you are. You just broke up with your boyfriend and you're scared."

Rachel looked at him. "While I was walking, I realized that I was more upset about being alone in New York than I was about me and Finn," she told him. "I think I've always known this was going to happen."

"But you love him."

Rachel shook her head and smiled wistfully. "I care about him. He'll always be my first love." Puck winced. "But I'm not in love with him. I haven't been since we were juniors."

"They why did you stay with him?" Puck demanded. "Why did you sleep with him?"

Rachel winced. "He told you?"

"Of course he told me," Puck said angrily. "I've had to listen to him talk about it for a fucking year."

Rachel pulled away from him slightly, lowering her head. "Oh God," she said, embarrassed. "I can't believe he said anything. What must people think?"

Puck pulled her up against him, his eyes meeting her shocked ones. "I know what _I _thought," he told her. "Every time he talked about it, I thought about beating the shit out of him. Every time I thought about you two together it made me sick to my stomach. Every time I watched you two walk by I had to put my hands in my pockets to keep from grabbing you and taking you away from him."

Rachel flinched at his words. "Noah," she whispered, unsure what to say.

"If you didn't love him, Rach, you wasted an entire year of both of our lives by being with him." He bent his head and kissed her angrily, his hand getting tangled in her hair. Breathing heavily, he pulled back.

"But…" Rachel said, dazed, "you were with Quinn."

Puck snorted. "I was only with Quinn to pass the time," he told her. "The same reason she was with me."

"I didn't know," Rachel said, shaking her head. "You made it clear that you didn't want to be with me after the whole Santana thing."

"I didn't want to be with you while you were dating Finn," he told her.

"Oh," she said stupidly, looking at him.

"Oh," he said, rolling his eyes and smiling. He couldn't help it. She was adorable.

"So you…" she cleared her throat. "You want me?"

Puck leaned over and kissed her neck. Rachel's eyes drifted closed and she moaned when his tongue touched her skin. "I've always wanted you," he said in her ear. Rachel shuddered, suddenly hot even though she was wearing wet clothes.

Rachel turned her head so that their lips met. Puck held her face in his hands, kissing her lips lightly. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "I've always wanted you too," she told him.

Puck grabbed her, pulling her closer. Rachel moved so that she straddled his legs, leaning down to kiss him softly. At her moan, he deepened the kiss. He fumbled with the buttons on her shirt, his hands unable to undo them. Frustrated, he finally just ripped it open. Rachel giggled and he smiled into their kiss.

Pushing her back, he pulled the shirt off of her, his breath catching at the sight of her bra. It was simple, plain and white. It was the sexiest thing he'd ever seen. Puck leaned forward, running his tongue up the center of her chest, his hands moving under the bra. Rachel gasped when his fingers found her nipples, pinching them slightly.

Puck's mouth kissed up her neck, then back downward. He paused for a minute and sat back when Rachel leaned forward to unclasp her bra. Watching it fall away, Puck immediately lowered his mouth to her dark nipple, sucking slightly on it as he teased the other one with his hand. Rachel threw her head back, closing her eyes.

Puck's hand moved to her leg, then up her thigh and under her skirt. Pushing her panties aside, he thrust his finger into her, pulling his head back to watch her face. Rachel opened her eyes and looked at him, surprised. When he flipped his hand and began rubbing her with his thumb she shrieked and grabbed his shoulders. "What are you doing?" she gasped.

Puck looked confused, but didn't stop. With his left hand he brought her head down to his, kissing her. Rachel moaned into the kiss, her breathing an erratic series of gasps. "Noah," she said, her hips rolling against his hand. "Noah, please."

"Please what?" he asked her, grinning.

Rachel groaned, rocking her hips. Puck figured he was about to pull a Finn and lose it in his pants. The sight of her riding his hand was too much. Rachel bent down, plunging her tongue into his mouth, surprising him. Puck's tongue met hers, his hand still moving.

Rachel pulled at his shirt, trying to get it off of him. Puck stopped what he was doing long enough to help her. She moved back on his lap, trying to get his pants unbuttoned next. Puck moved her hands, doing it himself. Pushing his pants and underwear down, he looked at Rachel. "Are you sure?" he asked roughly.

Rachel nodded, leaning over to kiss him on the shoulder, then the chest, then the lips. "I'm sure," she told him.

Puck pushed her panties to the side, parting her folds and lowering her onto him. He closed his eyes and groaned and she moved. "Rachel," he moaned as he slid inside her. He'd been dreaming about this for so long he couldn't believe it was actually happening. Holding her hips, he pulled her down all the way, tensing when she cried out. "I'm sorry," he told her, kissing her face. "Did I hurt you?"

"A little," she said softly. "It's okay." She moved her hips up and he gritted his teeth, determined not to move his. Taking his hand, he began rubbing her again, eliciting a small shriek. "Noah," she cried, rocking her hips.

He still didn't move, letting her set the pace. His mouth found her nipple again, nipping it lightly with his teeth. Rachel cried out, her nails digging into his shoulders. Her body trembled as she moved on him, close to release. Unable to stand it any longer, he moved his hands to her tiny waist, holding her still while he pounded into her. Her muscles clenched around him with her release and she screamed, sending him over the edge. Shouting her name, he thrust into her a few more times, spent.

Rachel leaned over him, resting her head against his shoulder. Both of them were breathing hard and the windows of the truck had fogged up completely. The realization that he'd just had sex with Rachel Berry on the side of the road struck him and he hugged her tightly to him. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that."

Rachel turned her head so that her lips were against his neck, too tired to lift it. "Shut up."

Puck laughed before he could help it. "I mean it, Rach."

"If you apologize again, I'm going to kill you."

"We're on the side of the road."

She grudgingly lifted her head and looked at him. Her lips were swollen and her cheeks flushed. She looked like someone who had spent the past twenty minutes having great sex. He smiled and she smiled back at him. "That was amazing," she told him, almost shyly. "I've never…I mean, I haven't…" she broke off, biting her lip.

Puck stared at her incredulous. "You've never had an orgasm?"

"Nope."

"What the hell?"

She shrugged. "It just hadn't happened before."

A wicked smile moved over his face. "So I was your first?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Yes."

"Fuck yeah," he said before pulling her head back to his for a kiss. Running his hands down her back, he cupped her butt. "Your body is perfect," he told her, his lips kissing her shoulders.

Rachel looked down at him. "So's yours."

Wrapping his arms tightly around her, he pulled her body close to his until they were chest to chest. "Look, Rachel, I want you, okay?" he said seriously. "I know we don't have much time left together, but I want this. I want us." He looked down, afraid of what she'd say.

"I want this, too," she admitted. "Even though it's going to get incredibly messy, I'm through wasting time."

"I can't go to New York with you," he told her, looking into her eyes. "But that doesn't mean that whatever this is won't work out." He shrugged. "Maybe I'll settle down in New York when I get out, you know? Go to NYU or something."

Rachel smiled at him. "You're talking crazy," she told him.

"It's not crazy," he told her. "I'm in love with you."

Rachel gasped. "What?"

Puck leaned his head back against his seat, closing his eyes. "Forget it."

"Noah, look at me," Rachel said. He lowered his head, opening his eyes to find hers. "When a man tells a woman he loves her, it's not something she's going to just forget."

Puck shrugged. "It's not a big deal."

Rachel frowned. "You love me but it's not a big deal?"

"Fuck, Rachel," he said, then winced. "Sorry." Rachel nodded. "I just don't want to freak you out. I shouldn't have said anything, okay?"

Rachel studied his face for a moment, her eyes finally meeting his again. "I'm in love with you too," she said softly.

Puck scoffed. "You don't have to say that," he told her.

"I know I don't have to say it," she told him, putting her hand on his cheek. "And I wouldn't say it if it wasn't true."

Puck watched her for a moment, then smiled. "You love me?"

Rachel cocked her eyebrow. "You love me?"

He leaned forward to kiss her, then pulled back, laughing. "You're right, this is crazy talk."

"We've always been known as the crazy ones," Rachel reminded him, laughing too.

"Finn is going to hate us," Puck told her, his laughter dying.

"Finn is going to have to get over it," Rachel told him. When Puck looked at her, surprised, she shrugged. "Finn isn't in love with me, he just wants what he can't have."

"He can't have you back," Puck told her fiercely. "He gave you up. You're mine now."

Rachel smiled. "You don't have to puff your chest out like that, Noah. I get it."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "It's just that whenever I think I've got you, you go back to him."

Rachel frowned. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I had no idea you cared."

Puck shrugged. "I didn't let you know. I acted like I didn't. The blame is mine."

Rachel laid her head down on his shoulder again, listening to the rain. "We get to start over," she told him. "Starting now."

Puck rubbed her back, propping his chin on her head and smiling. "Remind me to thank my little sister," he told her.

"For what?" Rachel asked.

"For running me out of the house."


End file.
